1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to 1-benzylimidazole derivatives, and more specifically, to the use of such compounds as pharmaceutical agents, e.g., as modulators of blood glucose levels. This invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds and to the use of such compounds in treating a variety of disorders associated with feeding and food metabolism. Additionally, this invention relates to the use such compounds as probes for the localization of cellular receptors that are involved in the modulation of blood glucose levels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic syndrome of impaired carbohydrate and fat metabolism resulting from insufficient insulin secretion and/or target tissue insulin resistance. It occurs in two major forms: insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM, Type 1) and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM, Type 2). These forms differ in their etiology, age of onset and treatment. Type 1 is often characterized by onset during childhood and the patients typically become fully dependent upon exogenous insulin to sustain life. The disorder is associated with a lack of insulin production by the pancreatic Islets of Langerhans. The disease is generally marked by a drastic reduction in the number of insulin secreting islet beta cells.
NIDDM usually appears later in life (typically ages 40-60) and is often associated with obesity. Patients with NIDDM show normal basal levels of insulin but display an abnormal insulin secretion response (delayed or reduced) to a glucose load. As the disease progresses, insulin target tissues show signs of diminished response to insulin (insulin resistance). Effective treatment of the disorder is usually obtained by dietary control, with or without the use of oral hypoglycemic drugs. Sulphonylureas are a class of hypoglycemic compounds used in the treatment of NIDDM. These drugs exert their action by causing insulin to be released from intracellular stores. Care must be taken in the administration of these agents in order to not induce severe hypoglycemia due to excessive insulin release. In addition, overdose may deplete insulin stores to a point requiring administration of exogenous insulin.
The discovery that glucose administered via the gastrointestinal tract provides greater stimulation of insulin release than a comparable glucose challenge given intravenously led to the identification of certain gut secreted xe2x80x98incretinxe2x80x99 hormones which augment glucose stimulated insulin secretion, and the identification of specific cell surface receptors that modulate the effects of such incretin hormones. Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (7-36)-amide (GLP-1) is one such incretin hormone that is secreted from gastrointestinal L cells in response to food intake and increases insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells. GLP-1 is believed to exert its actions via binding to a G-protein-linked receptor expressed in islet xcex2-cells.
Unlike the sulphonylureas, the effects of GLP-1 are dependent upon plasma glucose concentration; the insulinotropic effects of GLP-1 are abolished at low plasma glucose levels. In addition to its stimulation of insulin secretion, GLP-1 also increases insulin synthesis, inhibits glucagon secretion, and delays gastric emptying. This combination of actions gives GLP-1 unique potential therapeutic advantages over other agents presently used to treat non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. In a clinical trial of patients with NIDDM it was found that subcutaneous administration of GLP-1 could normalize postprandial glucose levels. Drugs that mimic the action of GLP-1, i.e. stimulate insulin secretion from pancreatic xcex2-cells, but only at higher than normal blood glucose levels, are particularly desirable for use in the treatment of NIDDM. Such drugs may work by modulating the signal-transducing activity of the GLP-1 receptor.
In vitro experiments that monitor the interaction of the compound with GLP-1 receptors may also be used to reliably predict the effects of a compound on blood glucose levels. In one such experiment the interaction of compounds with GLP-1 receptors, expressed either recombinantly or naturally in high abundance in certain cell lines, may be determined by a cell-based luciferase screen or by binding experiments measuring competition binding, e.g., the competition of a test compound with a labeled GLP-1 ligand such as GLP-1 or GLP(7-36) peptide.
Receptors that are coupled to the Gsxcex1 stimulatory G-protein subunit transduce intracellular signals via the adenylate cyclase pathway. Stimulation of these receptors with an agonist typically results in an elevation of cytoplasmic cAMP levels, which can trigger the subsequent transcription of a variety of genes, generally those with promoters containing binding sites (CAMP responsive elementsxe2x80x94CRES) for the transcription factor, CREB (CRE binding protein).
Receptor modulation may be measured via quantitation of transcriptional activation of a firefly luciferase reporter gene. Such an assay may use a Chinese hamster ovary cell line (CHO-K1) stably transfected with a GLP-1 receptor (a Gsxcex1 coupled receptor) expression plasmid and a luciferase reporter plasmid, wherein luciferase expression is under the transcriptional control of multiple CREs. In these cell lines, the GLP1 agonist GLP(7-36) peptide stimulates luciferase expression in a dose dependent manner with a potency (EC50xcx9c20 pM) similar to the data reported by Gromada et al. (1995) FEBS Lett. 373: 182-186.
Compounds may be screened by seeding 15,000 cells per well in opaque multi-well plates. Cells are then incubated overnight in a tissue culture incubator. Compounds are dispensed to a final concentration of 4 uM in 1% DMSO. After 6 hours of incubation, cells are assayed for luciferase activity, which is measured in a luminometer.
In clinical studies GLP-1 has been shown to reduce appetite and increase satiety in both normal weight and obese subjects. Thus, drugs that modulate the activity of the GLP-1 receptor may be useful for the treatment of obesity and eating disorders.
This invention provides novel compounds of Formula I, below, as well as non-toxic pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. As used herein and in the claims, the terms xe2x80x9ccompoundxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9csaltxe2x80x9d encompass anhydrous forms as well as hydrates. The invention also provides novel compounds of Formula I that bind specifically, and preferably with high affinity, to specific cellular receptors. Preferably the receptors are cell surface receptors, more preferably G-protein coupled receptors, yet more preferably the receptors are Secretin-like receptors, highly preferred receptors are GLP receptors, most preferably the receptors are GLP-1 receptors. Such compounds are useful in the treatment of diabetes, especially non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (Type 2 diabetes), and in the treatment of obesity and eating disorders. Preferred compounds of the invention are non-toxic.
The invention further comprises methods of treating patients suffering from diabetes, especially non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (Type 2 diabetes), obesity or eating disorders by administering to a patient in need of such treatment an effective amount of a compound of the invention. The patient may be a human or another, preferably mammalian, animal. Treatment of humans, domesticated companion animals (pets) or livestock animals suffering from these disorders with an effective amount of a compound of the invention is also encompassed by the invention. For veterinary applications, a wide variety of subjects will be suitable, e.g. livestock such as cattle, sheep, goats, cows, swine and the like; and domesticated animals particularly pets such as dogs and cats. For diagnostic or research applications, a wide variety of mammals will be suitable subjects including rodents (e.g. mice, rats, hamsters), rabbits, primates, and swine such as outbred or inbred pigs and the like. Additionally, for in vitro applications, such as in vitro diagnostic and research applications, body fluids and cell samples of the above subjects will be suitable for use, such as mammalian, particularly primate such as human, blood, urine or tissue samples, or blood urine or tissue samples of the animals mentioned for veterinary applications.
In a separate aspect, this invention provides compounds that are useful as probes for the detection and localization of specific receptors including GLP-1 Receptors. Preferably these receptors modulate blood glucose levels. Such receptors are preferably so localized in tissue samples, for example tissue sections. Such probes are also useful for measuring levels of such receptors expressed in tissue samples or cell membrane preparations of tissue samples and for detecting and localizing receptors in living patients (e.g., via PET scanning).
The invention also comprises a method for altering the signal-transducing activity of a cell surface GLP1 receptor, said method comprising exposing cells expressing such a receptor to an amount of a compound of the Formula I, below that is sufficient to effect either directly or indirectly detectable changes in receptor signal transduction.
The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of Formula I, including packaged pharmaceutical compositions. Packaged pharmaceutical compositions may include a container and instructions for using the composition to treat a patient in need thereof (such instructions preferably provided as indicia on a label incorporated in or on the package. Particularly, the invention includes packaged pharmaceutical compositions that include a container and instructions for using the composition to treat a patient suffering from diabetes, obesity or one or more eating disorders. As used herein and in the claims, obesity is not considered an eating disorder, but may represent the consequence of such a disorder.
Accordingly, a broad embodiment of the invention is directed to compounds of Formula I: 
or the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein:
A and B are independently C1-C3 alkylene;
R1 is C1-C6 alkyl;
R2 and R3 are the same or different and represent hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl;
U and V are the same or different and represent C1-C6 alkyl or halogen;
X, Y and Z are the same or different and represent hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, trifluoromethyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, trifluoromethoxy, halogen, or cyano; and
W represents up to three substitutents independently chosen from C1-C6 alkyl, trifluoromethyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, trifluoromethoxy, halogen, hydroxy, amino, and cyano.
Also included in the invention are compounds of Formula II: 
and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein: R1, R2 and R3 are the same or different and independently represent C1-C6 alkyl;
U and V are the same or different and represent C1-C4 alkyl or halogen; and
W represents C1-C4 alkyl, trifluoromethyl, C1-C4 alkoxy, trifluoromethoxy, halogen, hydroxy, amino, or cyano.
Preferred compounds of Formula II include those where U and V are the same.
Other preferred compounds of Formula II are those where R2 and R3 are the same.
Still other preferred compounds of Formula II are those where R1 is C4-C5 alkyl. Particular embodiments of the invention include compounds in which R1 is butyl or methylbutyl, and most preferably 3-methylbutyl. Other preferred compounds of Formula II are those where R1 is C4-C5 alkyl, especially butyl or methylbutyl, most preferably 3-methylbutyl, and U and V independently represent halogen or C1-C3 alkyl.
The invention further includes compounds of Formula II where R1 is C4-C5 alkyl, preferably butyl or methylbutyl, most preferably 3-methylbutyl, and R2 and R3 independently represent C1-C3 alkyl. Particularly preferred are compounds of Formula II where R1 is C4-C5 alkyl, R2 and R3 are independently C1-C3 alkyl, and U and V independently represent chloro, fluoro, or C1-C3 alkyl.
Other particularly preferred compounds of II are those where R1 is C4-C5 alkyl, preferably butyl or methylbutyl, most preferably 3-methylbutyl, and W chloro, fluoro, C1-C3 alkyl, or trifluoromethyl. Still other preferred compounds of the invention are those where R1 is C4-C5 alkyl, preferably butyl or methylbutyl, most preferably 3-methylbutyl, R2 and R3 are independently C1-C3 alkyl, U and V are the same or different and are chloro, fluoro or C1-C3 alkyl, and W is chloro, fluoro, C1-C3 alkyl, or trifluoromethyl.
The invention further includes a method for altering the signal-transducing activity of a cell surface GLP-1 receptor, said method comprising exposing cells expressing such a receptor to a solution containing a compound or salt of Formula I or Formula II, or any of the preferred embodiments of Formula II described above.
Representative compounds of the present invention include, but are not limited to the compounds in Table 1 and their pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts. In addition, if the compound of the invention is obtained as an acid addition salt, the free base can be obtained by basifying a solution of the acid salt. Conversely, if a compound is obtained as a free base, an addition salt, preferably a pharmaceutically acceptable addition salt, may be produced by dissolving the free base in a suitable organic solvent and treating the solution with an acid, in accordance with conventional procedures for preparing acid addition salts from base compounds.
Preferred pharmaceutical salts are non-toxic, and include salts of acids such as hydrochloric, phosphoric, hydrobromic, sulfuric, sulfinic, formic, toluenesulfonic, methanesulfonic, nitric, benzoic, citric, tartaric, maleic, hydroiodic, alkanoic such as acetic, HOOCxe2x80x94(CH2)nxe2x80x94COOH where n is 0-4, and the like. Those skilled in the art will recognize a wide variety of non-toxic pharmaceutically acceptable addition salts.
The present invention also encompasses the prodrugs of the compounds of Formula I. Those skilled in the art will recognize various synthetic methodologies that may be employed to prepare non-toxic pharmaceutically acceptable prodrugs of the compounds encompassed by Formula I. Those skilled in the art will recognize a wide variety of non-toxic pharmaceutically acceptable solvates, such as water, ethanol, mineral oil, vegetable oil, and dimethylsulfoxide.
The GLP-1 receptor binding compounds provided by this invention and labeled derivatives thereof are also useful as standards and reagents in determining the ability of a potential pharmaceutical to bind to the GLP-1 receptor.
Labeled derivatives the GLP-1 receptor ligands provided by this invention are also useful as radiotracers for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging or for single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT).
The present invention also pertains to methods for altering the activity of GLP-1 receptors, said method comprising exposing cells expressing such receptors to an effective amount of a compound of the invention, wherein the compound is present in the solution at a concentration sufficient to specifically alter the signal transduction activity of GLP-1 receptors in vitro. This method includes altering the signal transduction activity of GLP-1 receptors in vivo, e.g., in a patient given an amount of a compound of Formula I that would be sufficient to alter the signal transduction activity of cells expressing high levels of GLP-1 receptors in vitro. The amount of a compound that would be sufficient to alter the signal transduction activity of cells expressing GLP-1 receptors may be determined via an assay of GLP-1 receptor mediated signal transduction, such as an assay wherein the binding of GLP or a compound of the invention to a cell surface GLP-1 receptor effects a changes in reporter gene expression, e.g., in the firefly luciferase reporter gene assay of GLP-1 receptor modulation described above.
Representative compounds of the invention are shown in Table 1.
Compounds that bind with xe2x80x9chigh affinityxe2x80x9d are those that exhibit Ki values of less than 1 uM, preferably exhibit Ki values of less than 500 riM and most preferably those that exhibit Ki values of less than 100 nM at cell surface receptors. Preferably, the cell surface receptors are GLP-1 receptors.
By xe2x80x9cC1-C6 alkylxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9clower alkylxe2x80x9d in the present invention is meant straight or branched chain alkyl groups having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, such as, for example, methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, pentyl, 2-pentyl, isopentyl, neopentyl, hexyl, 2-hexyl, 3-hexyl, and 3-methylpentyl. Preferred lower alkyl groups are methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl.
By xe2x80x9cC1-C6 alkoxyxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9clower alkoxyxe2x80x9d in the present invention is meant straight or branched chain alkoxy groups having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, such as, for example, methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy, isopropoxy, n-butoxy, sec-butoxy, tert-butoxy, pentoxy, 2-pentyl, isopentoxy, neopentoxy, hexoxy, 2-hexoxy, 3-hexoxy, and 3-methylpentoxy. Preferred alkoxy groups herein are C1-C4 alkoxy groups.
By the term xe2x80x9chalogenxe2x80x9d in the present invention is meant fluorine, bromine, chlorine, and iodine.
The compounds of general Formula I may be administered orally, topically, parenterally, by inhalation or spray or rectally in dosage unit formulations containing conventional non-toxic pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, adjuvants and vehicles. The term parenteral as used herein includes percutaneous, subcutaneous, intravascular (e.g., intravenous), intramuscular, or intrathecal injection or infusion techniques and the like. In addition, there is provided a pharmaceutical formulation comprising a compound of general Formula I and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. One or more compounds of general Formula I may be present in association with one or more non-toxic pharmaceutically acceptable carriers and/or diluents and/or adjuvants, and if desired other active ingredients. The pharmaceutical compositions containing compounds of general Formula I may be in a form suitable for oral use, for example, as tablets, troches, lozenges, aqueous or oily suspensions, dispersible powders or granules, emulsion, hard or soft capsules, or syrups or elixirs.
Compositions intended for oral use may be prepared according to any method known to the art for the manufacture of pharmaceutical compositions and such compositions may contain one or more agents selected from the group consisting of sweetening agents, flavoring agents, coloring agents and preservative agents in order to provide pharmaceutically elegant and palatable preparations. Tablets contain the active ingredient in admixture with non-toxic pharmaceutically acceptable excipients that are suitable for the manufacture of tablets. These excipients may be for example, inert diluents, such as calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate, lactose, calcium phosphate or sodium phosphate; granulating and disintegrating agents, for example, corn starch, or alginic acid; binding agents, for example starch, gelatin or acacia, and lubricating agents, for example magnesium stearate, stearic acid or talc. The tablets may be uncoated or they may be coated by known techniques. In some cases such coatings may be prepared by known techniques to delay disintegration and absorption in the gastrointestinal tract and thereby provide a sustained action over a longer period. For example, a time delay material such as glyceryl monosterate or glyceryl distearate may be employed.
Formulations for oral use may also be presented as hard gelatin capsules wherein the active ingredient is mixed with an inert solid diluent, for example, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate or kaolin, or as soft gelatin capsules wherein the active ingredient is mixed with water or an oil medium, for example peanut oil, liquid paraffin or olive oil.
Aqueous suspensions contain the active materials in admixture with excipients suitable for the manufacture of aqueous suspensions. Such excipients are suspending agents, for example sodium carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydropropyl methylcellulose, sodium alginate, polyvinylpyrrolidone, gum tragacanth and gum acacia; dispersing or wetting agents may be a naturally-occurring phosphatide, for example, lecithin, or condensation products of an alkylene oxide with fatty acids, for example polyoxyethylene stearate, or condensation products of ethylene oxide with long chain aliphatic alcohols, for example heptadecaethyleneoxycetanol, or condensation products of ethylene oxide with partial esters derived from fatty acids and a hexitol such as polyoxyethylene sorbitol monooleate, or condensation products of ethylene oxide with partial esters derived from fatty acids and hexitol anhydrides, for example polyethylene sorbitan monooleate. The aqueous suspensions may also contain one or more preservatives, for example ethyl, or n-propyl p-hydroxybenzoate, one or more coloring agents, one or more flavoring agents, and one or more sweetening agents, such as sucrose or saccharin.
Oily suspensions may be formulated by suspending the active ingredients in a vegetable oil, for example arachis oil, olive oil, sesame oil or coconut oil, or in a mineral oil such as liquid paraffin. The oily suspensions may contain a thickening agent, for example beeswax, hard paraffin or cetyl alcohol. Sweetening agents and flavoring agents may be added to provide palatable oral preparations. These compositions may be preserved by the addition of an anti-oxidant such as ascorbic acid.
Dispersible powders and granules suitable for preparation of an aqueous suspension by the addition of water provide the active ingredient in admixture with a dispersing or wetting agent, suspending agent and one or more preservatives. Suitable dispersing or wetting agents and suspending agents are exemplified by those already mentioned above. Additional excipients, for example sweetening, flavoring and coloring agents, may also be present.
Pharmaceutical compositions of the invention may also be in the form of oil-in-water emulsions. The oily phase may be a vegetable oil or a mineral oil or mixtures of these. Suitable emulsifying agents may be naturally-occurring gums, for example gum acacia or gum tragacanth, naturally-occurring phosphatides, for example soy bean, lecithin, and esters or partial esters derived from fatty acids and hexitol, anhydrides, for example sorbitan monoleate, and condensation products of the said partial esters with ethylene oxide, for example polyoxyethylene sorbitan monoleate. The emulsions may also contain sweetening and flavoring agents.
Syrups and elixirs may be formulated with sweetening agents, for example glycerol, propylene glycol, sorbitol, glucose or sucrose. Such formulations may also contain a demulcent, a preservative and flavoring and coloring agents. The pharmaceutical compositions may be in the form of a sterile injectable aqueous or oleaginous suspension. This suspension may be formulated according to the known art using those suitable dispersing or wetting agents and suspending agents that have been mentioned above. The sterile injectable preparation may also be a sterile injectable solution or suspension in a non-toxic parentally acceptable diluent or solvent, for example as a solution in 1,3-butanediol. Among the acceptable vehicles and solvents that may be employed are water, Ringer""s solution and isotonic sodium chloride solution. In addition, sterile, fixed oils are conventionally employed as a solvent or suspending medium. For this purpose any bland fixed oil may be employed including synthetic mono-or diglycerides. In addition, fatty acids such as oleic acid find use in the preparation of injectables.
The compounds of general Formula I may also be administered in the form of suppositories, e.g., for rectal administration of the drug. These compositions can be prepared by mixing the drug with a suitable non-irritating excipient that is solid at ordinary temperatures but liquid at the rectal temperature and will therefore melt in the rectum to release the drug. Such materials include cocoa butter and polyethylene glycols.
Compounds of general Formula I may be administered parenterally in a sterile medium. The drug, depending on the vehicle and concentration used, can either be suspended or dissolved in the vehicle. Advantageously, adjuvants such as local anesthetics, preservatives and buffering agents can be dissolved in the vehicle.
Dosage levels of the order of from about 0.1 mg to about 140 mg per kilogram of body weight per day are useful in the treatment of the above-indicated conditions (about 0.5 mg to about 7 g per patient per day). The amount of active ingredient that may be combined with the carrier materials to produce a single dosage form will vary depending upon the host treated and the particular mode of administration. Dosage unit forms will generally contain between from about 1 mg to about 500 mg of an active ingredient.
For administration to non-human animals, the composition may also be added to the animal feed or drinking water. It will be convenient to formulate these animal feed and drinking water compositions so that the animal takes in an appropriate quantity of the composition along with its diet. It will also be convenient to present the composition as a premix for addition to the feed or drinking water.
Frequency of dosage may also vary depending on the compound used and the particular disease treated. However, for treatment of most metabolic disorders including obesity and diabetes, a dosage regimen of 4 times daily or less is preferred. For the treatment of obesity a dosage regimen of 1 or 2 times daily is particularly preferred.
It will be understood, however, that the specific dose level for any particular patient will depend upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed, the age, body weight, general health, sex, diet, time of administration, route of administration, and rate of excretion, drug combination and the severity of the particular disease undergoing therapy.
Preferred compounds of the invention will have certain pharmacological properties. Such properties include, but are not limited to oral bioavailability, low toxicity, low serum protein binding and desirable in vitro and in vivo half-lifes. Penetration of the blood brain barrier for compounds used to treat CNS disorders is necessary, while low brain levels of compounds used to treat periphereal disorders are often preferred.
Assays may be used to predict these desirable pharmacological properties. Assays used to predict bioavailability include transport across human intestinal cell monolayers, including Caco-2 cell monolayers. Toxicity to cultured hepatocyctes may be used to predict compound toxicity. Penetration of the blood brain barrier of a compound in humans may be predicted from the brain levels of the compound in laboratory animals given the compound intravenously.
Serum protein binding may be predicted from albumin binding assays. Such assays are described in a review by Oravcovxc3xa1, et al. (Journal of Chromatography B (1996) volume 677, pages 1-27).
Compound half-life is inversely proportional to the frequency of dosage of a compound. In vitro half-lives of compounds may be predicted from assays of microsomal half-life as described by Kuhnz and Gieschen (Drug Metabolism and Disposition, (1998) volume 26, pages 1120-1127).
The effect of a compound on blood glucose levels can be determined in vivo, through the use of a glucose tolerance test, in which the blood glucose levels laboratory animals subjected to a glucose challenge are monitored in the presence and absence of the compound. The effects of test compounds on glucose tolerance may be evaluated in non-diabetic laboratory animals as discussed in Wang et al., J. Clin. Invest. (1995) 95: 417-421 and Holst, Curr. Opinion in Endocrinology and Diabetes (1998) 5: 108-115. Alternatively, the effects of test compounds on blood glucose levels may be assessed in an animal model of diabetes, e.g., streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. Such assays have been disclosed by Tancrxc3xa8de et al. (Br. J. Exp. Path. (1983) 64: 117-123), Junod et al. (J. Clin. Inv. (1969) 48: 2129-2139, Rondu et al. (J. Med. Chem. (1997) 40:3793-3803), and Maloff and Boyd (Diabetologia (1986) 29: 295-300).
The compounds of the invention can be prepared using the chemical reactions depicted in Scheme 1. The starting materials for use in the various reactions may be varied to produce specific substitution patterns. Those skilled in the art will recognize the necessary variables.
The variables U, V, W, X, Y, Z, R1, R2 and R3 in Scheme I are as defined for Formula I, and L is an appropriate leaving group such as, for example, halogen or sulfonate ester. Thus, an appropriately substituted imidazole 5 may be alkylated with an appropriately substituted benzyl halide or sulfonate ester in the presence of base to provide N-benzylated imidazole 6. This compound may then be subjected to the conditions of a Mannich reaction or similar conditions to produce 2-hydroxymethyl derivative 7. The hydroxy group of 7 may be converted into a leaving group, for instance by treatment with thionyl chloride or an alkylsulfonyl chloride to produce intermediate 8 which can be reacted with a primary amine under dilute conditions to give secondary amine 9. The amine may then be amidated to provide the compounds of Formula I. 